Hurricane & Storm Damage

October 16, 2024

News: Tri-Par Estates Mobile Home residents fight for normalcy after Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SARASOTA, FL – The Tri-Par Estates Mobile Home Park residents are among the many who are working to restore their lives to normalcy after the powerful Hurricane Milton.

Images from Fox 13 News show torn-off roofs and numerous twisted panels and windows scattered about following the storm surge, which was said to have been between 8 to 10 feet, according to additional data from The Tallahassee Democrat.

While it’s unclear how many homes in the entire county have been destroyed by Milton, the Tallahassee Democrat declares that 100 homes in Sarasota alone have been hit really hard.

October 15, 2024

Protect Yourself During a Power Outage After Hurricane Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

As of Tuesday morning, more than 220,000 people in Florida are still left without power. Hillsborough County and Pinellas County has the most outages, according to the Florida Power Outage Tracker, with Hillsborough County still seeing more than 92,000 outages and Pinellas County seeing more than 40,000 outages.

Manatee County is not far behind with more than 29,000 outages and Sarasota County follows with more than 22,000 outages still.

Florida Power and Light Company is working around the clock to get power restored to Floridians, according to reports. They have dispatched 20,000 workers from 41 states as well as Canada to assist with restoring power.

October 15, 2024

News: Over $146 million needed to restore Manatee Co. after Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MANATEE COUNTY, FL – It’s going to take a significant amount of time and money, specifically over $146 million, to restore properties that have taken a hit from Hurricane Milton.

County authorities told MySunCoast News that commercial property damages amounted to more than $16 million, while damages to residential homes are believed to be up to $130 million. The hurricane, which was identified as a Category 3 event, has totaled 19 homes and affected more than 2,000 buildings. More than 500 homes have also experienced some minor damage.

Daily life after this tumultuous storm has also taken a daily toll on the lives of residents across the board. Regular commuters have had to navigate around downed traffic lights, and power outages are still frequent.

October 14, 2024

News: 65 St. Pete homes destroyed in Hurricane Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Since Hurricane Milton made landfall last Wednesday, records show that a total of 65 homes have been destroyed and 762 homes were significantly damaged.

This information comes from the Pinellas County Residential Damage Assessment for Hurricane Milton, which also indicates that 2,276 homes sustained minor damage.

Images from NBC News also highlights some examples of affected homes in the Twin City Mobile Home Park, including two mobile homes with significant damages to the roofs, which were either completely or nearly knocked to the ground. One completely totaled home was shown with a large tree leaning against it, and building debris, including a large amount of plywood, scattered about. Another home could be seen with its door frames, flooring, and walls torn apart.

October 10, 2024

News: St. Pete’s Tropicana Field roof totaled by Hurricane Milton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Even Tropicana Field Stadium’s roof panels were no match for the dangerous Hurricane Milton, as most were torn apart due to the 101 mph winds.

According to Fox 13 News, the winds were strong enough to break through the fiberglass, only sparing two roof panels.

Tropicana Field, while home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays year round, was set to become a temporary housing shelter and evacuation center for St. Petersburg residents. However, due to some concerns about the structural integrity, authorities who okayed the set-up soon called off this project.

October 8, 2024

Hurricane Milton: What to Expect County by County in Tampa Bay

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, Hurricane Milton’s wind speeds have picked back up to 155 mph and is anticipated to make landfall this week over Florida’s west coast as at least a category 3 storm.

You can follow the latest updates here.

Here is what residents can expect county by county:

October 7, 2024

News: Lealman fire crews rescue 15 from flooded St. Pete neighborhood

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Lealman firefighters had to rescue 15 people from the flooded 42nd Avenue neighborhood seen along a sea of impacted homes on Friday following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Fire crews did not comment on whether anyone was injured. However, photos from ABC Action News indicate that the impacts of the flooding and aftermath of the hurricane left several belongings scattered across the street – drawers, wardrobes, desks, lumbar, and more all left after the storm. While some homes remain standing, according to the Residential Damage Assessment for Pinellas County for Pinellas County, 10,483 have been negatively impacted after this heavy storm. To date, reports show that 146 homes have been completely destroyed, while 5,187 homes sustained major damage, and 3,718 were left with minor damage. In addition, 1,792 homes were hit by Hurricane Helene, but no structural damage was reported.

Residents in this area, along with thousands in St. Petersburg, are left with no choice but to find new homes.

October 7, 2024

What You Should Know About Filing a Post-Storm Insurance Claim | Clearwater Beach, St. Pete Beach, and Pinellas County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Hurricane Helene, the strongest storm to strike the Tampa Bay area in 103 years, claimed the lives of 12 people after making landfall on September 26, 2024. Pinellas County, which spans a 20-mile (32-kilometer) strip of barrier islands from St. Petersburg to Clearwater, suffered the most damage. In minutes, mansions, apartments, townhomes, beautifully colored single-family homes, mobile homes, restaurants, pubs, and shops were all destroyed or severely damaged.

Throughout the past century, the Tampa Bay area has been exceptionally fortunate. The total population of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and the surrounding areas has increased from roughly 300,000 to over 3 million since the last significant hurricane made landfall in 1921.

Over the years, numerous hurricanes have threatened Tampa Bay, but they invariably miss the region entirely and head straight north into the Panhandle or the Florida peninsula to the south.

August 5, 2024

Tropical Storm Debby Sweeping Through Tampa and Central Florida | Tampa Storm Damage Claims Attorneys Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Tropical Storm Debby was downgraded from a hurricane this morning after making landfall in Steinhatchee along the Gulf coast.

Heay rains and winds are expected in Tampa and central Florida throughout the day today, as well as tropical storm and storm surge warnings.

The majority of Central Florida and the Bay area are under a tornado watch until 6 a.m. Tornadoes can form rapidly from passing storms originating from Debby’s outer bands.

June 20, 2024

Get Storm Ready in Tampa – Emergency Officials Urge Residents to Prepare Now | Tampa Bay Hurricane and Storm Damage Claims Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Flash fooding across Florida last week resulted in Gov. Ron DeSantis declaring a State of Emergency in Sarasota County and several others in south Florida.

Storms and heavy downpours have emergency officials urging Tampa Bay residents to stay up to date on what to do in the event of severe weather as hurricane season has just begun.

Clearwater officials distributed around 3,000 sandbags to residents on Saturday to assist with storm surge and flooding. Keep in mind that last year, a no-name storm brought more flooding to the area than some of the hurricanes that have made landfall.